300mm shipping container

ABSTRACT

A container (10) for shipping items, such as silicon wafers, rigid memory disks, photo masks, liquid crystal displays and flat panel displays, is disclosed. The container has a bottom (20) and a removable top (30). Mounted to the inside of the container are three cushions (50, 51, 52). When the cover (30) is in place, the cushions are centered on support lines (60) which are 120° from each other. When so arranged, the cushions securely hold a plurality of items in a parallel, spaced-apart registration.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to containers used to transport items fromone location to another. More specifically, the present inventionrelates to containers particularly well suited for the transport ofsilicon wafers, rigid memory disks, photo masks, liquid crystal displaysand flat panel displays.

II. Description of the Prior Art

Various containers have been used in the electronics industry totransport masks, displays, disks and wafers. The fragile nature of suchitems requires very reliable means for supporting such items within thecontainer. Such items must be protected from vibration and shock. Suchitems must be held in such a way that they do not scrape, rub or impactthe surfaces of the container or the other items stored therein. Suchitems must also be protected from particulation, static electricity andoutgassing.

A recent trend has developed in the electronics industry, the result ofwhich is the growth in size of masks, displays, wafers and disks. Forexample, while most wafers in use today have a diameter of 200 mm orless, new standards centered around 300 mm wafers are emerging. In thefuture, even layer wafers are likely to come into widespread use. As thesize, weight and surface area of the wafers increase, new techniquesmust be found to protect them from damage. Rigid supports so prevalentin prior art containers to retain wafers are not sufficiently effectivein protecting these larger wafers, particularly when the wafers are tobe transported over great distances. Likewise, the flexible supportingschemes used in the prior art do not provide adequate support tominimize damage to the wafers. Conventional schemes provided twosupports, one in the top and one in the bottom of the container whichwere positioned 180° from each other when the top was closed. Thus,there is a real need for shipping container capable of securely holdinglarger fragile items in a way to protect such items during transport.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a container having a bottom, a removabletop, a pair of exterior ergonomic handles, an integral latch for lockingthe bottom to the top, and three internal cushions. Two of the cushionsare secured to the bottom of the shipping container and one is securedto the top. When the top is closed, the center lines of support providedby the three cushions are equally spaced at 120°. This improved supportgeometry allows for a much greater load bearing area than conventionaltwo cushion designs.

Conventional two cushion designs having the cushions positioned 180°form each other are more than adequate for lighter, smaller objects.However, they provide insufficient support for larger wafers or the likewhen the container is joined or shook from side to side. By providingthree cushions and having them equally spaced around the edge of theitems to be shipped, sufficient load bearing area is provided in alldirections rather than just in the up and down directions. The use ofthree cushions in this manner also minimizes wafer rotation. This isdesirable because particles generated as a result of wafer rotation candamage the wafers.

The advantages of the present invention will become more apparent fromthe reading of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment setforth below in conjunction with the drawings which form a part of thespecification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the shipping container's exterior;

FIG. 2 is top plan view of the container's exterior;

FIG. 3 is an elevational side view of the container's exterior;

FIG. 4 is a elevational end view of the container's exterior;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the container's exterior;

FIG. 6 is a cross section through line A--A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 a cross section through line B--B in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of a conventional prior art supporttechnique;

FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of the support technique of thepresent invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1-5 show the exterior of the container 10. The container 10 isspecifically designed for transporting a plurality of items. Container10 includes a bottom 20 having an opening for loading and unloadingitems and removable top 30 for covering the opening. The top 30 includesa skirt 32 which is designed to overlap the outer edges of the bottom 20when the top 30 is in the closed position over the opening in thebottom. The container 10 also has a pair of handles 40 on the ends 12and 14. One can grip and hold the container 10 at a variety of places.

Several techniques can be used to latch the bottom 20 to the top 30. Forexample, holes, such as 34 and 36, can be made in the skirt 32 of thetop. Holes 34 and 36 are sized and positioned which mate withprojections 38 on the bottom 20 when the top 30 is in the closedposition. When this technique is used, there is a need for the skirt 32to be gripped and flexed to move the holes 34 and 36 away from theprojections 38 to unlatch the top 30 from the bottom 20. Other types oflatches are well known in the art which could readily be used by thoseskilled in the art to latch the top 30 and bottom 20 together.

Of greater significance is the interior construction of the container10. As shown in FIG. 7, three cushions 50, 51 and 52 are secured to theinside walls of the container 10. Two of the cushions 51 and 52 areattached to the bottom 20 and other cushion 50 is attached to the top30. With the cover 30 closed, the three cushions are centered about theinterior of the container 10 at a 120° angle with respect to each other.

The cushions 50, 51 and 52 are preferably removable from the container10. This allows cushions of differing designs to be used to holddifferent types of items. For example, cushions such as those shown inU.S. Pat. No. 5,423,422 can be used in the container 10 to hold flatpanel or liquid crystal displays. When the container 10 is used to holdsilicon wafers or memory disks, cushions like those disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 5,273,159 might be used. Both of these patents are owned byEmpak, Inc., and are incorporated herein by reference. Other types ofcushions could be used for masks or other items to be held. Also,because the cushions 50, 51 and 52 can be removed and replaced, theuseful life of the container 10 is extended.

FIG. 8 shows how cushions 50 and 51 of this type were used in pairs inthe prior art. When such cushions 50 and 51 are used as shown in FIG. 8,such cushions are capable of adequately supporting smaller, lighteritems. However, two cushion configurations are not adequate to fullysupport larger, heavier objects such as 300 mm diameter silicon wafers.

The problems inherent in the design shown in FIG. 8 are overcome byadding a third cushion 52 and positioning the three cushions 50, 51 and52 as shown in FIG. 9. Forces caused by shock or vibration are absorbedby the three cushions 50, 51 and 52 so that items do not becomedislodged.

In FIG. 9, wafer cushions 51 and 52 are attached to the bottom 20.Cushions 51 and 52 have center line of support 60 with respect to thewafers 53 about 120° from each other and about 60° from the bottom ofthe wafers 53. When the top 30 is in place, cushion 50 also engages andsupports the wafers 53 so that the center line of support 60 associatedwith cushion 50, 51 and 52 are separated by approximately 120°.

The precise construction of the cushions 50, 51 and 52 will depend uponthe items 53 to be held in the container 10. However, such cushions 50,51 and 52 will preferably have certain features in common. Such cushionsare preferably made of a flexible elastomixic or thermoplastic material.Each cushion will have two parallel rails 54 and 55 designed to engageand be retained by tracks in the container to hold the cushions 50, 51and 52 in place. Extending between the rails 54 and 55 are a pluralityof deformable members 57, each of which is intended to help support onea plurality of items. Each of the deformable members 57 will generallyhave a pair of dividers forming a channel 58 in which the edge of theitem 53 to be supported is received. The channels 58 of the threecushions 50, 51 and 52 are aligned so that cushions 50, 51 and 52 workin conjunction to support a plurality of items 53 in a spaced apart,parallel registration. Most typically, the cushions 50, 51 and 52 willbe centered on the respective center lines of support 60. While this isnot necessarily the case, it is advantageous to have a portion of eachcushion present on either side of its associated center line of support60.

The principal benefits derived from positioning cushions 50, 51 and 52as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 relate to the support provided to the items 53stored in the container 10. This arrangement makes it possible for thecushions 50, 51 and 52 to securely hold items of a larger size andweight (for example, wafers having a diameter of 300 mm or more) andwithstand jarring of the container 10 in any direction. The arrangementshown in FIG. 8 can handle jarring in the up and down directions.However, when a jarring force is applied from the side (as shown by thearrow 100 in FIG. 8) and larger, heavier items 53 are stored in thecontainer, the items 53 can come loose or be damaged. Thus, thearrangement shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 is superior to that shown in FIG. 8.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that bottom 20 and top 30 can bemade of a clear material so the contents of the container 10 can beviewed even when the container 10 is closed. Likewise, a bar code,transponder, or microterminal could be affixed to the container 10 foridentification, tracking, or communications purposes. Also, a gasket orO-ring can be provided to ensure a tight seal between the top andbottom. Finally, because the cushions 50, 51 and 52 are removable, oneskilled in the art, without deviating from the invention, couldconstruct a cassette which, when inserted within the container 10, wouldserve the same function as one or more of the cushions.

The description provided above in combination with the attached drawingswill give those skilled in the art a clear understanding of the presentinvention, the scope of which is defined by the following claims.

We claim:
 1. A container for holding a plurality of items, saidcontainer comprising:a. a bottom having an opening for loading andunloading said items; b. a removable top for covering the opening of thebottom; and c. three cushions which cooperate with each other to retaineach of said plurality of items in a parallel, spaced apart positionwith respect to each of the other of said items, one of said cushionsattached to the top and the other two of said cushions attached to thebottom, each of said cushions supporting said items along a center lineof support, the center line of support associated with each cushionbeing located approximately 120° from the center lines of supportassociated with each of the other two cushions when the top is coveringthe opening of the bottom.
 2. The container of claim 1 wherein each ofsaid cushions has a pair of rails, a plurality of deformable members,each deformable member having a pair of dividers forming a channel forreceiving the edge of an item to be transported in the container.
 3. Thecontainer of claim 2 wherein the channels and dividers on the threecushions cooperate to hold a plurality of items in a parallel, spacedapart registration.